Container braking device

ABSTRACT

A device for braking containers propelled through a tube by the pressure of gas, installed in the reception-starting chamber and comprising a double-acting hydraulic cylinder located on a movable pusher; the end of the hydraulic cylinder rod carries a spring-loaded grip interacting with the container.

United States Patent Alexandrov et a1.

Oct. 2, 1973 CONTAINER BRAKING DEVICE Inventors: Adolf Moritsovich Alexandrov,

Federativny prospekt, 6, korpus 3, kv. 8, Moscow; lppolit Davidovich Suladze, prospekt Chavchavadze,

1 1, kv. 41, Tbilisi; Ilia Solomonovich Kantor, Malo-Moskovskaya ulitsa, 31 kv. 45; Vladimir Efimovich Aglitslky, Zatsepsky val, 6/13, kv. 61, both of Moscow; Avtandil Semenovich Kakhniashvili, ulitsa Eliava, 37, kv. 41, Tbilisi; Jury Abramovich Tsimbler, Sojuzny. prospekt, 10, kv. 261, Moscow; Alexandr Alexandrovich Lachinov, Zhivopisnaya ulitsa, 12, kv. 19, Moscow; Jury Arnoldovich Topolyansky, Matveevskaya ulitsa, 1(1, korpus 4, kv. 233, Moscow; Gennady Nikitich lvanov, Bolshoi Savvinsky pereulok, 17, kv. 2, Moscow; Mark Abramovich Feldman, Yasny proezd, 14, kv. 100, Moscow, all of USSR.

[22] Filed:

3/1966 Germany 243/38 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegcrter Assistant Examiner-Merle F. Malffei Attorney-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A device for braking containers propelled through a tube by the pressure of gas, installed in the receptionstarting chamber and comprising a double-acting hy draulic cylinder located on a movable pusher; the end of the hydraulic cylinder rod carries a spring-loaded grip interacting with the containen 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 30 3 33 a: 1 39 42 29 4/ y /2 m 30 3/ .r 4 ,7, M 47 1 4.9 y 52 1 Z CONTAINER BRAKING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to installations for a pneumatic conveyance of loads through tubes and more specifically to devices for braking containers propelled through tubes by the pressure of gas.

The braking device realized according to the present invention will be used most successfully for braking containers or heavy container trains.

Known in the art are devices for braking containers propelled through tubes by gas pressure wherein the containers approaching the reception station are retarded by raising the air pressure in the reception chamber before the containers (see, for example, Pat. No. 1,471,822, France).

Braking devices fail to ensure accurate stopping and fixing of the containers at a desired point for loading or unloading.

Another known containenbraking device comprises a level installed in the reception chamber and protruding by its free end into the chamber, thus reducing gradually the passage area through the chamber. Here, the braking effect is obtained by pressing the container against the walls of the reception chamber with the protruding free end of the lever. (See Pat. No. 1,212,885, Federal Republic of Germany).

Also known in the art is a braking device wherein the braking section of the tube is made in the form of a curved corrugated flexible hose with a built-in spiral. In this device the braking effect is produced by the increased friction of the container against the walls of the tube section. (See Pat. No. 1,157,151, Federal Republic of Germany).

The above braking devices can be utilized only for braking the comparatively light containers (cylinders) in pneumatic postal conveying systems and are inadequate for braking heavily-loaded containers.

An object of the present invention resides in providing a braking device which ensures stopping of heavy containers and container trains at a precisely specified point. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION- In accordance with this object, we propose a device for braking containers propelled through a tube by the pressure of gas, installed in.a reception-starting chamher and consisting, according to the invention, of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder unit accommodating a piston provided at one end with a rod whose free end carries a spring-loaded grip coacting with the container while at the other end, there is a plunger installedopposite a hole in the cylinder space at the side of the plunger with a fluid pumping plant, and entering such hole during braking of the container, thus throttling the service fluid flowing out of the space.

It is practicable that the rod should accommodate an axial space or bore communicating with the hydraulic cylinder space at the side of the rod and that such axial space should contain a plunger coacting with the grip for opening the grip when the fluid is supplied into the rod.

The device for disengagement of the container from the grip by means of the plunger actuated by the pressure of the service fluid entering the hydraulic cylinder unit is quite simple to manufacture and reliable in operation.

It is no less practicable that the braking device should comprise a pusher constituted by a tube mounted coaxially in the reception-starting chamber, with the tube accommodating the double-acting hydraulic cylinder unit and passing at one end through a hole in the face wall of the chamber, while its other end has adisc closing the passage through the chamber, and the disc is provided with a sealing cup on its periphery and with supporting rolls resting on the inside surface of the chamber. The disc serves to compress the air in the chamber at the side of the pusher during braking, thus creating anadditional braking force.

Mounting of the hydraulic cylinder unit on the pusher produces the additional braking force by pneumatic damping and ensures smooth and safe braking of heavy containers on container trains.

It is practicable that the pumping plant for the service fluid be mounted on the end of the pusher located outside the reception-starting chamber. The installation of the pumping plant on the external end of the pusher allows the pipes connecting the plant with the hydraulic cylinder unit to be rigid, without hinged joints thus extending considerably their service life and dependability.

For setting the pusher in a fixedinitial position, it must be linked kinematically with a drive mechanism via a coupling. The kinematic linkage of the pusher with the drive mechanism ensures, together with the hydraulic cylinder unit, precise movement of the containers to the desired position for loading or unloading and, if necessary, provides initial acceleration of the containers at starting.

The container braking device realized in accordance with the present invention allows heavily loaded containers (weighing from a few hundred kilograms to a few tons) to be smoothly braked on a comparatively short section of the route.

Besides, this device produces initial acceleration of the containers at starting, thereby reducing the starting power of the compressed gas source.

Now the invention will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a general view of the container. brakingdevice according to the invention with the pusher drive removed;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 1, th view looking in the direction of the arrows and being on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of the circled area A in FIG. I, enlarged;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line llV-IV in FIG. 1, the view looking in the direction of the arrows and being on an enlarged scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A device 3 for braking a container 2 is installedin a reception-starting chamber I (FIGS. 1, 2) which is an extension of the tube (not shown) for the conveyance of the container 2 by the pressure of compressed gas. This device consists of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder unit 4 comprising a hollow body 5 accommodating a piston 6 which divides the interior of the body into two spaces 7 and 8. The body 5 has holes 9 and 10 for the supply of the service fluid to the corresponding spaces. At one end, the piston 6 has a rod 111 whose free end carries a grip t2 interacting, during braking, with the container 2 while at the other end, the piston has a plunger 13 which is installed opposite the hole 9 and, on braking of the container (i.e., when the piston 6 moves to the left), enters this hole, the hole 9 with a certain clearance, thus throttling the service fluid flowing out of the space 7 and braking the container by hydraulic damping.

The hollow rod 11 has an axial bore or space 14 which communicates with the space 8 of the cylinder body through a hole 15.

Secured to the free end of the rod 11 is a sleeve 16 having a cylindrical space 17 which is a continuation of the axial space 14 in the rod 111. A plunger 18 is installed in the space 17.

The grip 12 has two levers 19 whose pivots 20 are secured on the sleeve 16. One arm of the levers 19 rests on springs 21 which hold the levers in the initial or closed position illustrated. The sleeve 16 is provided with ports 22 receiving rollers 23 which are mounted on the levers 19 and interact with rearward camming faces on the plunger 18 for opening the grip 12. Installed between the plunger 18 and bottom 24 of the sleeve 16 is a spring 25 and a shock absorber 26 is secured to the outer side of the bottom 24.

For producing an additional braking force, the hydraulic cylinder unit 4 is secured rigidly in a pusher 27 constituted by a tube 28 installed coaxially in the chamber 1 and one end thereof passes'through a hole in face wall 29 of the chamber 1. This end of the tube 28 rests on a support 30 located on the wall 29 and which extends out of the reception-starting chamber 1.

The other end of the tube 28 carries a disc 31 which closes the passage through the reception-starting chamber l and whose outside diameter is somewhat smaller than the inside diameter of the chamber 1. The disc 31 is provided on its periphery (on the circumference) with a sealing cup 32. Together with the cup 32, the disc 31 creates a pressure-tight space 33 in the chamber 1.

Secured on the face surface of the disc 31 at the side thereof facing the grip 12 are brackets 34 mounting supporting rolls 35. The pusher 27 rests, with the aid of the rolls 31, on the inner surface of the'chamber 1 and rolls thereover during braking of the container 2 and when returning to the initial position (protruded forward). I g

The outer end of the pusher 27 mounts pumping plant 36, which delivers the service fluid into the spaces 7, 8 of the hydraulic cylinder body 5. The pumping plant consists of an oil tank 37, an oil pump 38 and its electric drive motor 39. Located on the tank 37 is a control panel 40 provided with the hydraulic instruments necessary to change the direction of the service fluid flow.

A pipeline 41 provides communication between the pumping plant 36 and the hydraulic cylinder space 8 via the hole while pipelines 42 and 43 provides communication with the space 7. v

The pipeline 43 communicates with the pumping plant 36 through an adjustable flow restrictor (not shown) installed on the control panel 40. This flow restrictor is used to set the required flow rate of the service fluid from the space 7 for producing the required container braking force corresponding to its weight and speed.

Installation of the pumping plant 36 directly on the pusher 27 makes it possible to use rigid pipelines 41, 42, 43.

To return the pusher 27 with the hydraulic cylinder unit 4 to the preset initial position, there is a coupling on the face wall of the pusher outer end consisting of a hydraulic cylinder 44 (FIG. 3) with rod 45 thereof having it outer end carry an element 46 cooperating with the links of an endless bushing and-roller chain 47 trained over sprockets 48 and 49 (FIG. 1) and driven by an electric motor 50 (FIG. 4) via a speed reducer assembly 51.

The container braking device operates as follows;

When the device 3 is in the initial position, before receiving the container 2, the spaces 7 and 8 of the hydraulic cylinder unit 4 are filled with service fluid; the pusher 27 with the hydraulic cylinder unit 4 and the rod 11 with the grip 12 are shifted to the predetermined forward position; the element 46 is disengaged from the chain 47.

Arriving in the chamber 1, the container 2 comes in contact by its bumper 52 with the grip l2, presses the levers 19 and, turns the levers around their pivots 20, thus upon the levers by compressing the springs 21. As soon as the bumper 52 contacts the shock absorber 26, clearing the shoulders of the levers 19, the springs 21 return the levers 19 to the initial position, thus ensuring reliable fixing of the container 2 by the grip 12. Under the effect of the kinetic energy of the moving container 2, the rod 11 is set in motion, together with the piston 6 and plunger 13. The service fluid is forced out of the space 7 through the hole 9 and through the pipelines 42 and 43.

During its further movement, the plunger 13 enters the hole 9 and the service fluid is forced out of the space 7 through the annular gap formed by the plunger 13 in the hole 9 into the pipeline 42 thus braking the container by the hydraulic damping action. As the force of the braked container is equalized with the resistance to the motion of the pusher 27, the pressure of the service fluid in the space 7 sets in motion the hydraulic cylinder unit 4 together with the pusher 27. At thesame time, the air in the space 33 of the chamber 1 is compressed, thereby ensuring additional braking by pneumatic damping. I

By changing the initial position of the pusher 27 in the chamber 1 it becomes possible to adjust the additional braking force.

Precise stopping of the container 2 at the desired point for loading or unloading is ensured by moving the pusher 27 forward (to the right'in the drawing) and for which purpose the element 46 is placed in engagement with the chain 47 which is driven by the electric motor 50. Simultaneously, the service fluid fed under pressure through the pipeline 43 into the space 7 of the hydraulic cylinder unit 4 moves out the rod 11 with the grip 12 and with the container 2. Precise stopping of the container 2 is determined by the position of limit switches (not shown) coacting with the pusher 27 and the rod 11.

If the pusher 27 and the rod 11 are set in an intermediate position while the container 2 is being brought to the desired point for loading or unloading, further forward movement of the pusher 27 and rod 11 can ensure initial acceleration of the container 2 entering the tube (not shown).

propels the container 2 through the tube.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for braking containers propelled through a tube by the pressure of gas, the tube having a reception-starting chamber, the device being installed in the reception-starting chamber and comprising: a doubleacting hydraulic cylinder unit mounted in said reception-starting chamber and including a body provided with an axial bore and two holes for the passage of a service fluid, a piston accommodated in said bore of the body and dividing said body into two spaces, one of the holes leading to one space and the other hole leading to the other space; a rod secured at one end of said piston, a plunger secured at the other end of said piston opposite the other of said holes in the body for the delivery of the service fluid into the space at the side of the plunger, and said plunger entering said other hole on braking ofa container, thereby throttling the service fluid which flows out of the space at the side of said plunger; the body, rod, and plunger extending axially of the tube; and a spring-loaded grip mounted on the free end of said rod and engaging with the container.

2. A device for braking containers propelled through a tube by the pressure of gas, the tube having a reception-starting chamber, the device being installed in the reception-starting chamber and comprising: a doubleacting hydraulic cylinder unit mounted in said recep tion-starting chamber and including a body provided with two holes for the passage of a service fluid, a piston accommodated in said body and dividing said body into two spaces, a rod secured at one end of said piston, a plunger secured at the other end of said piston opposite one of said holes in the body for the delivery of the service fluid into the space at the side of the plunger, said plunger entering said hole on braking of a container, thereby throttling the service fluid which flows out of the space at the side of said plunger; and a spring-loaded grip mounted on the free end of said rod and engaging with the container, the rod having an axial space communicating with the hydraulic cylinder space at the side of the rod, and said axial space accommodating a plunger which coacts with the grip for opening the grip when the service fluid is supplied into the rod.

3. The device according to claim. 1 including a pusher constituted by a tube arranged coaxially in the reception-starting chamber, said tube accommodating the double-acting cylinder; one end of said tube passing through a hole in a face wall of said chamber and the other end thereof carrying a disc which closes the passage through the chamber and is provided with a sealing cup along the periphery; said disc having rolls resting on the inner surface of the chamber space; whereby on braking of the container, said disc compresses the air in the chamber space at the side of the pusher thus creating an additional braking force.

4. The device according to claim 2 comprising a pusher constituted by a tube coaxially installed in the reception-starting chamber, said tube accommodating the double-acting hydraulic cylinder; one end of said tube passing through a hole in a face wall of said chamber, the other end thereof carrying a disc which closes the passage through the chamber, said disc being provided with a sealing cup arranged along the periphery, and rolls resting on the inner surface of the chamber; whereby on braking of the container, said disc compresses air in the chamber at the side of the pusher thus creating an additional braking force.

5. The device according to claim 3 wherein a pumping plant for delivering the service fluid is mounted on the end of the pusher protruding out of the receptionstarting chamber.

6. The device according to claim 4 wherein the pumping plant for delivering a service fluid is mounted on the end of a pusher protruding out of the receptionstarting chamber.

7. The device according to claim 3 wherein the pusher is kinematically linked with a drive via a coupling for setting said pusher to the initial position.

4 i ill i 

1. A device for braking containers propelled through a tube by the pressure of gas, the tube having a reception-starting chamber, the device being installed in the reception-starting chamber and comprising: a double-acting hydraulic cylinder unit mounted in said reception-starting chamber and including a body provided with an axial bore and two holes for the passage of a service fluid, a piston accommodated in said bore of the body and dividing said body into two spaces, one of the holes leading to one space and the other hole leading to the other space; a rod secured at one end of said piston, a plunger secured at the other end of said piston opposite the other of said holes in the body for the delivery of the service fluid into the space at the side of the plunger, and said plunger entering said other hole on braking of a container, thereby throttling the Service fluid which flows out of the space at the side of said plunger; the body, rod, and plunger extending axially of the tube; and a spring-loaded grip mounted on the free end of said rod and engaging with the container.
 2. A device for braking containers propelled through a tube by the pressure of gas, the tube having a reception-starting chamber, the device being installed in the reception-starting chamber and comprising: a double-acting hydraulic cylinder unit mounted in said reception-starting chamber and including a body provided with two holes for the passage of a service fluid, a piston accommodated in said body and dividing said body into two spaces, a rod secured at one end of said piston, a plunger secured at the other end of said piston opposite one of said holes in the body for the delivery of the service fluid into the space at the side of the plunger, said plunger entering said hole on braking of a container, thereby throttling the service fluid which flows out of the space at the side of said plunger; and a spring-loaded grip mounted on the free end of said rod and engaging with the container, the rod having an axial space communicating with the hydraulic cylinder space at the side of the rod, and said axial space accommodating a plunger which coacts with the grip for opening the grip when the service fluid is supplied into the rod.
 3. The device according to claim 1 including a pusher constituted by a tube arranged coaxially in the reception-starting chamber, said tube accommodating the double-acting cylinder; one end of said tube passing through a hole in a face wall of said chamber and the other end thereof carrying a disc which closes the passage through the chamber and is provided with a sealing cup along the periphery; said disc having rolls resting on the inner surface of the chamber space; whereby on braking of the container, said disc compresses the air in the chamber space at the side of the pusher thus creating an additional braking force.
 4. The device according to claim 2 comprising a pusher constituted by a tube coaxially installed in the reception-starting chamber, said tube accommodating the double-acting hydraulic cylinder; one end of said tube passing through a hole in a face wall of said chamber, the other end thereof carrying a disc which closes the passage through the chamber, said disc being provided with a sealing cup arranged along the periphery, and rolls resting on the inner surface of the chamber; whereby on braking of the container, said disc compresses air in the chamber at the side of the pusher thus creating an additional braking force.
 5. The device according to claim 3 wherein a pumping plant for delivering the service fluid is mounted on the end of the pusher protruding out of the reception-starting chamber.
 6. The device according to claim 4 wherein the pumping plant for delivering a service fluid is mounted on the end of a pusher protruding out of the reception-starting chamber.
 7. The device according to claim 3 wherein the pusher is kinematically linked with a drive via a coupling for setting said pusher to the initial position. 